SUBURBAN WILDLIFE POCKET GARDEN

At the end of a long dead end street, this garden was a focal point for all visitors. Designed to be appreciated at its peak in September, the month the clients were married, the plant palette was selected to reflect the colors of the bride's dress: purples and golds.

On a site that was bare and plantings struggled to survive, the clients wanted this garden to be a haven for wildlife, specifying an emphasis on plants that would be beneficial for pollinators.

Challenges were apparent early on in the design process: the garden needed to be designed and planted quickly and the existing soil conditions proved challenging.

During the planning process the soil was discovered to be primarily composed of rubble and fill, with a small layer of topsoil on top. Removal was not an option, so plants were chosen that could tolerate drier, rockier conditions. Parts of the garden received full sun, while an existing weeping cherry shaded out a significant area. Beneath the cherry, a mix of shade tolerant perennials like Cranesbill (Geranium maculatum 'Espresso'), and grasses like Tufted Hairgras (Deschampsia cespitosa) were selected. In sunnier locations, perennials such as Brown-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba), Gayfeather or Blazingstar (Liatris spicata) and grasses like Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) were installed.

For the walkway strip, a trio of Coralbells (Heuchera), Shrubby Aster (Symphyotrichum (Aster) dumosum 'Woods Blue'), and dwarf Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil') were planted.

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